I’m looking for some information regarding my great uncle, Pte George Eric Wardleworth 13096303 of the Pioneer Corps, died 28-03-1946 at Arbury Hall, Nuneaton. I’m not sure of the accuracy of the circumstances if his death, which has been passed down and I’m trying to find out what happened in the POW camp there. Thank you
Hi good afternoon, I’m new to this and so please bear with me. My great uncle was based at Arbury Hall, where he died on 28 March 1946. I believe at the time this was a German POW camp and the story passed down was that he, amongst others, were poisoned by German POW’s. My grandmother, his sister, wouldn’t talk about it and so this is all the information I have. He was with the Royal Pioneers, Private George Eric Wardleworth 13096303. I’m not sure of the accuracy of the circumstances, but I would appreciate any help or advice as to how I can find out more. Thank you
Casualty lists state "Died as result of accident" - no other details. Casualty Details | CWGC His death certificate should give cause of death and there may possibly be an inquest: First name(s) GEORGE E Last name WARDLEWORTH Gender Male Birth day - Birth month - Birth year 1921 Age 25 Death quarter 2 Death year 1946 District Nuneaton County Warwickshire Volume 6D Page 647 Country England Record set England & Wales Deaths 1837-2007 Edit:
Claire, Welcome aboard. There are experts here you can explain obtaining his Army record - not my field. So a quick search, apologies if already identified. A quick search found: Wardleworth, George Eric - | Bolton Remembers With details of his Will: Age 25 son of George and Annie of Pendlebury Probate of 13 Spencer St died Arbury Hall Nuneaton to George Wardleworth , Green grocers manager £285 7s 6d From: St John's, Pendlebury | Salford War Memorials Another says he died at home: ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST, PENDLEBURY There should have been a coroner's inquest, either @ Nuneaton or Salford. Alas it is unclear if records have survived and most County Record Offices are closed now. Plus there is a 100yr closure policy, except in special circumstances (from another member). Now to Arbury Hall (privately owned): From: Arbury Hall – The Gothic Gem Of The Midlands That link has a comment for a WW2 question to join this local Facebook group and ask a question: Facebook Groups It was Camp 196 and the camp is now parkland. From: https://historicengland.org.uk/imag.../prisoner-of-war-camps/prisoner-of-war-camps/ There is a little more on: https://systonimagesblog.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/pow-camps-details-issue-pho702.pdf Nothing immediately on a murder or a poisoning.
His death is shown twice in the index on the British Newspaper Archive. .. making of documentary and war films and for food storage ARMY OPENS CAMP DEATH INQUIRY By a Staff Reporter MR. AND MRS. GEORGE WARDLEWORTH, of Spender - street, Pendlebury, to-day awaited the outcome of a military inquiry being =ducted at Nuneaton into the ... Published: Monday 08 April 1946 Newspaper: Manchester Evening News .. request. lnq Rober„• and S.affcici. Tel Col 2086. WARDLEWORTH.---On March 28, suddenly. in camp. of 13. Spencer-street, Irla.ms-o'- th'-Heteht. ERIC, aged 25, only son of George and Annie WARDLEWORTH. also brother of Annie. Interment St. John's Church ... Published: Wednesday 03 April 1946 Newspaper: Manchester Evening News Results for 'george wardleworth' | Between 1st Jan 1946 and 31st Dec 1946 | British Newspaper Archive .. Medicine Given by German Orderly Caused Death of Camp Guard A. MILITARY guard at the Arbury prisoner -of-war camp, suffering from pains in the stomach, was given medicine by German melical orderly which proved to be a dangerous drug and caused his death ... Published: Friday 05 April 1946 Newspaper: Coventry Evening Telegraph County: Warwickshire, England Results for 'wardleworth prisoner of war' | Between 1st Jan 1946 and 31st Dec 1946 | British Newspaper Archive Sorry I do not have a subscription to view the full articles, but you may be able to access them at your local library in the UK. Searches under other words or combination of words may yield more. I also think you get three free look ups when you first register on the BNA site. Confirmation of cause of death would be on his death certificate. If a civil Inquest was held, this may show if a coroners name is on the cert. This is the cert ref: George E Wardleworth Death Age: 25 Birth Date: abt 1921 Registration Quarter: Apr-May-Jun 1946 Registration District: Nuneaton Inferred County: Warwickshire Volume: 6d Page: 647 Online orders are here: https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/login.asp The last one I ordered cost £ 11 & took two months to arrive by post. Travers
Best not to post the same query twice or we all end up duplicating everything and it gets difficult to follow as answers appear in different places: Private G E Wardleworth, Arbury Hall Nuneaton
David, I can’t thank you enough! Ive tried to find out about it for years and you’ve done it in minutes. That was sort of the story I had been told but couldn’t believe it was true and my grandmother, Eric’s sister, found it too upsetting to speak about. I’ll take some time to carefully read and digest it. Thank you again and I’ll send off for everything I can. Thanks again.
This website is very much a team effort, we each have our own expertise, interests and amount of time to help. Someone here will appear when the "going gets tough", although I have two outstanding questions yet to get an answer.
Sorry Tony, it’s the first tine I’ve used the site and I didn’t know which category it should be posted under. Apologies, Claire
No apologies necessary, I will ask one of the Mods to merge the two so that it keeps everything together. A sad story about your relative.
I’m lost for words. I’ve never seen a photo of him. It’s not surprising that my great grandparents and grandma never got over it, having read this. I’m truly humbled. Thank you so much to you all x
Thank you for your kind words. I know how emotional this family research business is. So glad to have helped. Keep digging, I'm sure you'll find more.
Given that it seems possible that this wasn't an accident there should be enquiry documents. The pow concerned may have been tried.
Thanks Tim, do you know where I would start trying to look into it please? I had rather hoped it wasn’t true and the facts had been misinterpreted over time, but now I’m not so sure. I’ve learned so much today, I can’t thank you all enough
I'm sure others here are better qualified to answer but there is this forum: CORPS ASSOCIATION FORUMS 2017 Lots of official WW2 documents are in the National Archives at Kew. There are people here who will go there and copy documents for you (for a reasonable fee) but you need to know what document area you are looking for. You can search the NA website for info which may get you closer to a particular records catalogue. Hopefully others can chip in with some ideas.
A quick bit of searching brings a few bits and pieces that may be useful: World War Two has a little info on the POW camp. All of the pictures are credited to the "The Wright Family Rural North Warwickshire Archive" which might be worth trying to contact/investigate. A thread here talks about the records of German POW in Britain and gives a record catalogue at Kew - WO307. May be of use when you have a name of the POW responsible. A twitter thread here. This says there were 10,000 POW there - I find that hard to believe. Camp commandant was Lieutenant Colonel F G Holbrook, R.A. (at least he was in 1947 - may have been there earlier).
On a quick look Lieutenant Colonel F G Holbrook, R.A has very few London Gazette entries, he was a pre-war officer - possibly in coastal artillery, as one posting was to Dover; promoted to Lt. Col 15/6/1942, placed on superannuation in 15/6/1945: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37130/supplement/3117/data.pdf and his reserve status ended 26/2/1951: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/39157/supplement/1035/data.pdf His Army Number is 5644 (useful to trace him).
